Youth Baseball Hitting Tips


In talking about youth baseball, we’ve already elaborated on the basic fundamentals and how to go about accomplishing those basics.  These fundamentals should be taught to your kids or players at the youngest possible age they begin playing.  Without these basics they will have a hard time hitting, so that’s why we’re providing even more youth baseball hitting tips.

In review, we talked about the following:

Let’s now talk about the kinds of drills you should use for practice.  These hitting tips can be applied to most age groups. 

Hitting off a tee.  This is the most basic but essential hitting drill and all age groups continue to reap benefits from hitting off of a tee.  Even Major League Baseball players hit off a tee.  Besides using a tee and a ball you will need some protective netting or a solid chain link fence to hit the ball into.  Make sure there are no signs posted saying not to hit the chain link fence.  Practice hitting off of a tee as often as you like but for each session make sure you hit at least 25 balls.  Advanced players can even move the tee around to mimic different locations of the pitch so you can practice hitting the ball to the opposite field, up the middle or your pull side.

Soft toss.  This was a favorite of mine during my 14 years of baseball because it is just plain fun.  Again, you will either need protective netting or a solid chain link fence.  It’s better to hit into the protective netting because no balls will bounce back.  Have someone kneel in the front and side of the hitter.  He will underhand toss the balls to the hitter who will then hit the balls into the netting.  The ball can be  tossed to the hitter at different locations to make him adjust, wait for the ball and hit it to the appropriate area of the netting.  This is a safe drill but if another player is doing the tossing make sure he wears a batting helmet just to be careful.

Modified broomstick hitting drill.  This is also fun because it kind of takes you back to the wiffle ball days when you simulated games in the backyard with a brother or friend and drilled wiffle balls over the fence.  Those were fun times!  Find a wooden broomstick and saw it so that it is the same length as the bat you use in games.  You might want to tape the handle just like you would a normal bat.  Then find some plastic golf balls and pitch them to the hitter.  This is an excellent drill for hand-eye coordination.

Live batting practice.  What better way to finish up youth baseball hitting practice then by live pitching to the batter.  If at all possible, make sure the pitcher stands behind a protective "L" screen.  Each player should get at least 20-25 hittable pitches.  Now, if you’re taking batting practice alone with just you and your dad, coach or friend then 50 hittable pitches is better.  Either way, divide up the pitches and hit some to the opposite field, up the middle and to your pull side as well.  Oh, don’t forget to lay down a few bunts too.

These are some of the most basic youth baseball hitting tips and you should try some if not all of these during the batting practice portion of the day.  If you are a coach, try separating the youth into groups that will move from station to station which will save time.

My years of experience playing and teaching baseball hitting will help you with the challenge of learning how to hit a baseball correctly.  Articles such as the one you just read will inform and motivate you to a better understanding of proper baseball hitting whether you are a coach, parent or ballplayer.  Check back here for upcoming
baseball hitting tips articles and e-mail us any questions or comments.

Jeff Wise

info@baseballhittingtipsonline.com